'You'd be a great Dad!' I get told this often. Yes, I can mess around and play the fool. I'm down with video games and I know what pop star is popping another. I'm guessing that there's a little bit more to actually being a great Dad.

Whether in terms of regulation, research or public expectation, there appear to be differences in the way commercial, research and clinical sectors are operating with health data...if researchers, health professionals and technology companies continue to work in silos, then application of big data to healthcare will remain as potential rather than reality.

Our generation will not be the first to have a difficult conversation about emerging scientific technologies; just ask your parents about test-tube babies. But in my opinion, there has been no conversation as difficult as the one surrounding Synthetic Biology. Despite being a student of science, I am firmly of the belief that every one of us needs to be involved.

Imagine a scenario where that tiny little human life you created receives an earth shattering diagnosis. The doctors have no information about what it means or how it will affect your little one. Your family is left at the crossroads. You don't know where to go or who to turn to. What help will my child need? How can I get it? Where do I get information? Who can help me and my family? Why me, why us?

No-one has ever attempted whole genome sequencing on this scale before. Much of our work until now has been in establishing the tools and infrastructure we need to deliver results to 100s of participants a week.

Petty fights in the back of the car, temper tantrums over the possession of a favourite toy, irrational jealousy over who is the family favourite - squabbling brothers and sisters have infuriated parents for generations.

As a rapidly-evolving field of medicine, genetic analysis relies on the sharing and pooling of data so that experts can learn more about the complex variations in the human genome which contribute to disease risk or mutation.

As many readers might already know, exposing pregnant women to stress at constantly high levels can be detrimental to foetal development, placing the newborn at an extreme disadvantage emotionally and intellectually.

If physicians use only medication to treat disease without addressing the underlying factors that contribute to ill health, those diseases will continue and worsen. Every year, patients will grow sicker, need more medication, and accumulate more diagnoses.